It was decided at the meeting that the director of environment and transport should commence discussions with the objectors in order to seek possible mitigation measures but if this fails a public inquiry will need to be held.

In the consultation documents discussed at the meeting, it states that both Kinchbus and Arriva have seen a drop in customers and 31 objections cited the location of the new bus stops as being inconvenient.

Coun Peter Osborne, the county council’s cabinet member for highways, told the meeting: “It is a controversial scheme; there are those who like it and those who dislike it for all different types of reasons.

“As far as I’m concerned, the economy hasn’t kick-started as I would have hoped.

“It is a much nicer, much more pleasant area and it does, to a certain extent, combine the two sides of the town together.”

Coun Osborne also said: “The majority of people who responded to a consultation have told us they’re pleased with how the trial has gone and with the improvements carried out in the town centre.”

Just under 100 comments of support for the pedestrianised zone were submitted to the county council during the consultation including one that said: “Pedestrianisation is the best thing to happen to Loughborough in a long time.”

But there were around 50 objections.

One said: “Changes to the bus services have affected the elderly and mobility impaired and should be reverted back to as before.”